<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Is This Love? by Musical_Fandom</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931540">Is This Love?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_Fandom/pseuds/Musical_Fandom'>Musical_Fandom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad End Oneshots [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Ending, Flashbacks, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, M/M, Royal's Bad End</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:28:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>699</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27931540</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musical_Fandom/pseuds/Musical_Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Wishes can be a double-edged sword.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bad End Oneshots [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Is This Love?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akira and Goro walked through the aquarium hand in hand, the older boy taking a slight lead. Everytime he looked back, the sight of him was enough to make Akira's heart do flips. He was absolutely beautiful. The light reflected off his frame in a way that made him look almost ethereal. The charming smile he flashed was enough to make Akira stop in his tracks. He looked so happy. The sight was almost enough to let him forget the constant guilt. Almost.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "You saw how happy your friends were! You could be happy too!" Maruki said with a wild sense of enthusiasm. He turned his gaze from Akira to Akechi, "You both could!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "There's nothing I want from you or your bullshit reality." Akechi spat. He was too focused on Maruki to see the hesitation in Akira, the slight lowering of his defenses. Maruki however was fully aware and ready to pounce. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I know what you want Kurusu-kun and I can give it to you." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Akira tightened his grip on Goro's hand as if he would disappear if he let go. He tried to push the memories of that night out of his mind. Goro must have sensed the sudden shift in mood as he stopped and turned to Akira.</p><p>"What's wrong?" He asked, his gentle smile could make Akira's heart melt if he wasn't refusing to meet the other boy's gaze. He couldn't stand to look at what he'd done.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "To think you'd fold over some trivial threat to my life." Akechi's sharp glare pinned Akira in place. Why couldn't he understand? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "It's not an easy decision to make!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "A dead man or the world, it's an obvious choice." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Maybe it was. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>After they left the aquarium Akira took Goro back to LeBlanc. When they took their usual spots everything felt so right. It made Akira's stomach churn.</p><p> </p><p><em> "I will </em> <b> <em>never </em> </b> <em> accept this world!" </em></p><p> </p><p>Goro sat at the counter fondly watching Akira work. He looked so content, so happy. There was nothing in the world that could ruin their happiness. No checkered pasts, no criminal records, it was a fresh start.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "I love you!" He cried desperately. He needed Akechi to understand. He was his world. </em>
</p><p><em> "No </em> <b> <em>Kurusu</em> </b> <em> ," The pure malice in Akechi's tone made Akira look away. He couldn't face him like this. "You don't love me. You love the act I used to put on. If you really loved me you wouldn't be doing this." </em></p><p>
  <em> When Akira finally looked at Akechi he saw much more than anger. Resentment, betrayal, fear, he didn't have the words to make it all go away. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Akira wondered if he had been right when he said he didn't love the real him. He knew he loved Goro but was that the same? Maybe he was selfish. A soft touch on his hand brought him back to the present.</p><p>"You're so tense, is something wrong Akira?" He asked, his voice was gentle and soothing, a far cry from what it had been back then. Akira could see the way his unhidden concern stained his perfect features.</p><p>"I'm fine. Everything's fine." He said trying to convince himself more than anyone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Why don't you care? You're going to die if we do this!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I already made my choice a long time ago!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> One more day wasn't enough. It would never be enough. Maruki knew that when he dangled Akechi's life in front of him. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"What makes you happy?" Akira asked suddenly. The question had caught Goro off guard but it still took him less than a second to come up with his answer.</p><p>"You." He said simply looking at Akira like there was nothing else that mattered.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "I can't lose you again!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "How is this any different!?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Goro delicately placed his hand on Akira cheek. He pulled in for a kiss but Akira looked away. He couldn't, not with all the memories of that night replaying in his head. He had been selfish then and he was being selfish now.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "I hate you." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> As LeBlanc's door was slammed shut Akira was left alone with the words echoing in his head. </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>“I hate you.”</em> </b>
</p><p> </p><p>"I love you." Goro whispered.</p><p> </p><p>Akira could almost believe him.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>